Chapter 5

The next morning, Winry woke up with her tummy growling. She looked at the clock, it was 9:00 in the morning. At first, she was a little surprised that she wasn't in her room. Then, she remembered everything when she realized that she was still in her wedding dress. But all she had in her mind was to find something to eat. She got off the bed, limping on her injured foot and went to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and found it entirely empty. Angrily, she slammed the refrigerator door shut. She could go out and eat, but she had no money on her.

Winry looked around and found herself alone in the apartment. Where was Ed and Al? Suddenly, Winry felt helpless. She was all alone with no money, no food, and an injured foot. There was nothing else she could do but stay in the apartment and wait for the boys to return. She waited and waited. Finally, Ed and Al came back. It was seven o'clock in the evening.

"Waiting for me, Win?" Ed asked her cheerfully.

Winry made no reply.

"Did you make us dinner?" Ed asked.

Hearing the word "dinner", Winry's anger inflamed. "Go to the kitchen yourself, you shrimp! And see if there is anything there!" After the yelling, she sank back down on the couch. Then, she looked at Al, the soul in the empty armor yet with a big heart. "Do you have anything to eat?" she asked him meekly.

"Al and I already ate!" Ed answered for Al. "The cafeteria served sloppy joe today! Got to say, how delicious—"

Before he could finish, Winry launched her wrench at him. "Stop this! I'm talking to Al, not you!" Then her stomach growled again. "Give me something to eat! Damn it!"

"You want something to eat? Why didn't you mention it earlier?" Ed asked her sarcastically.

"Isn't it obvious? I hadn't eat anything since yesterday morning!"

"You are hungry and yet you still have the energy to yell at me? Looks like you can still live without foodfor another few days." Ed took out a package behind him. He opened it. It was the dinner he brought home. The hot steam along with the delicious smell rose in the air. "Chicken breast, garlic bread, salad, you name it."

Winry's eyes widened. "Give it to me!" She reached out her arms to grab the food. Yet, before her hands even reached it, Ed took it away. Dug his hand into the food, he began to eat it himself.

"You want it? You got to ask for it," he said while swallowing.

"You—I asked you thousands of times!" Winry was so enraged that she could hardly speak.

"No, you demanded it. You were yelling. I don't like that attitude. If you want it, you got to ask for it nicely."

Winry gave up. "Can I please have something to eat?" she asked, her tone still somewhat irritated.

"I don't like your tone of voice," Ed said, chewing the garlic bread.

"Can I please have something to eat, Edward?" Winry asked, tried to soften her tone as much as possible.

"Why sure, Win," Ed said. He handed the food to her. "Thought you would never ask." Winry ate it all as if she was starved for a century.

"Easy Win, " Ed said while stroked her hair. "There is plenty of more. They are all yours." He took out more packages of food: doughnuts, cakes, and beefs. Winry ate whatever it was in front of her. When she finally finished, Ed handed her a napkin. "Wipe your mouth, you little rat," he laughed. Winry ripped it from his hand. She stood up and stumped her way to the bedroom, angrily slammed the door behind her.

"Look like your plan didn't work," Al said.

"Then, I have to use plan B."

"Brother, I think, maybe you are going toward the wrong way. You are just making her mad at you."

"Al, I know what I'm doing."

"Whatever you are doing, I don't get it and I don't like it."

"Al, remember last time we went to Lior and the bad dog we saw?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Remember how its master was able to tame it?"

"Brother, Winry is not a dog!"

"I know, but she is a shrew."

"What's your point?"

"My point is, she'll learn to appreciate it when I show her my kindness."

"Brother, do you love her?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Well, you married her just to get your automail for free."

"You're right. But still, the moment I saw her, something tells me that she is the one for me. Plus, this arm and this leg, she made them, at least that's what aunt Pinako told me. She is part of me."

"Whatever you are up to brother, I hope you'll be successful. Just don't treat her too harshly."

"Al, let me just put things this way. In the end, she will love me and we will be happy together. Until then, please do not interfere anything between us."

Ed walked toward to his room. When he met the closed door, he remembered that it was now occupied by Winry.

"Al, go to sleep in your room."

"Night brother."

---x---x---

The next day, things went just like the usual. Ed and Al were gone in the morning. Winry remained alone in the apartment. This time, however, Ed left her breakfast and lunch, so she wasn't starved. But she was bored. There was nothing to do.

Winry looked around the apartment. She found it very messy. To have something to do, she started to clean up the apartment even though she hated it. In the end, she got a huge garbage bag with a bunch of trash in it. Most of them were Ed's. When she took out the trash, she heard a sound of "prrrrr". Where did it come from?

Winry searched around the huge garbage can, she found nothing. Then the sound of "prrrrr" came again. This time, a small kitten popped its head out of the garbage can. It was dirty, covered with trash.

"Aww, what are you doing here you poor thing?" Winry picked the cat. "My, you look dirty. Looks like you need a home. Well, I need a friend. Why don't we go and give you a bath!"

Winry took the cat back to the apartment. She gave it a nice, warm bath. Then, she poured some milk in the bowl for it to drink. The cat stroked its fur against her leg. Winry thought it's just adorable. Even better, now she was no longer alone.

Ed and Al came back in the evening. Winry was sitting on the couch reading magazine with the cat on her lap.

"What in the world is that hairball doing in my apartment?" Ed asked, frowned.

"This is its home now," Winry replied coldly.

"No, no animal is allowed in here."

"Well, I say it's staying."

Ed turned to Al. "Al, can you excuse us?" Al nodded and left the room. Before he left, he gave Ed a don't-be-too-mean-to-her look. Ed pretended not to notice.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" he shouted at her. Winry startled. "I told you many times, I don't like this type of attitude of yours. When do you start to listen?"

"I behave in the way I please. You have no right to tell me what to do!"

"That's where you are wrong. You are my wife, you are living under my roof. From now on, you will do everything I say. Don't forget, I'm your husband. I'm the one who's feeding you. I can kick you out right now and leave you homeless on the street. I can even—" He snatched the cat from her lap and threw it out of the window. Winry shrieked.

"EDWARD!"

Ed grabbed her shoulders and pulled her face close to his. "You are going to respect me as your husband, got it?"

Winry nodded her head without a word. Ed let go of her and went straight to the bedroom. Winry stayed in the living room all by herself. She went to the window, looking out to see if she could find that cat anywhere. But it was nowhere in sight. Heartbroken, she cried herself to sleep on the couch.

At midnight, Ed quietly got up and sneaked to Al's room.

"Psst! Al!"

"What brother?"

Ed opened his jacket. The cat jumped out.

"Here, I want you to take care of it. Just don't tell Winry."

Al always liked cat. He happily took it in his hands.

"I thought you…what about the..."

"The one I threw out was just an object I transmuted."

---x---x---

It was seven o'clock in the morning. Ed appeared before Winry's, who was sleeping on the couch.

"Wake up Win!" he yelled, clapping his hand.

"What…" Winry mumbled, not fully awake.

"Get up, sleepy head!"

Winry rubbed her eyes. She looked at the clock. It was only seven!

"It's still early!" she argued.

Ed's eyes immediately darkened. "Have you forgotten what I told you last night? I don't like this type of attitude."

"But it's seven!" Winry pointed at the clock.

"It's nine, Win."

"I don't get you, Edward Elric."

"It's nine,"Ed said. "When do you learn? I am the man of the house, you should respect me and agree with me, always. I can treat you anyway I want to. If I'm happy…"

Winry changed her tone of voice and facial expression right at the moment. "Edward, it's nine."

"What?"

"It's nine, Edward. You just said it. It's nine."

Ed laughed at that. "Get up, get dressed. We are going shopping."

"Shopping?"

"Yeah, shopping," Ed took a strain of her hair, playing with it. "A military ball is coming up. You would want to look nice, wouldn't you?"

"A military ball?" Winry asked. "Do I have to go?" She remembered how Ed had once embarrassed her in front of all his military friends.

"That, Win, would be up to you," Ed said. "Oh, just to let you know, I talked to your grandmother yesterday. And I learned that there is going to be a carnival at Resembool. She told me that you never missed it in your entire life. Now, I could…"

"Can I go, please?" Winry begged. "I never missed it!"

"Well, that's up to me. Remember, if I'm happy, you can get whatever you want," Ed paused for a moment. "So, you wanna to buy a dress?"

"Sure," Winry said. "I'll wear whatever you pick out."

"Then, get out of the bed and start moving!"

---x---x---

The two went down the street. Winry hadn't yet had the chance to explore the Central City. She stopped to admire everything she thought was amazing. Ed didn't seem to mind. He just held her hand and followed her. Finally, they arrived at the store.

Winry spotted the dress that was shown at the window. It was a strapless white satin dress.

"Come on, let's go," Ed grabbed her and dragged her in the store. Winry looked around, yet her heart still set on that white dress she saw by the window.

"Hey, Win," Ed took a yellow dress. "I think this looks good on you." Winry's heart sank. That dress was completely oversized.

"I…I…" Winry wanted to disagree, but she wouldn't want to anger Ed. You have to agree with me, Ed had told her.

"Isn't this a petite, small, delicate dress?" Ed asked.

"Yes, Edward, it is," Winry replied.

"Something is wrong with your eyes, Win? It's a completely oversized dress. It'll be too large on you!"

"You're right."

The owner of the store came to them. She was a young woman in her late twenties. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"Well, Win, this man is very nice, isn't he?" Ed asked Winry, ignored the store owner's facial reaction.

"Yes, he is very polite."

"Are you blind? This is a woman!"

"Yes, Edward. Thank you for reminding me."

Ed smirked. "Hey miss!" he called to the storeowner. "Can you take down that white dress from the window please?" Then he looked at Winry. "That's the right dress for you. Put it on."

Winry went to the dressing room and put on the dress. It was amazing. It was almost as if it was made especially for her. She came out of the dressing room to show Ed the result.

"Did anyone ever tell you how amazing you look?" he asked her. He took her hand and led her to the nearby mirror. "Look at you, I think the goddess of beauty would put herself into shame."

"Can I have this one, please?" Winry asked him nicely, almost pleading.

"Sure," Ed said. "Whatever you want."

"And Edward?"

"Yes Win?"

"Can we…can we go the carnival then?"

"Let me see…I'll tell you after the military ball. It'll depend on how I feel!"

All right, Winry thought, reminding herself. Just be nice to him, please him. Make him happy, and he'll give me whatever I want.

"And you know what? You need a necklace along with that," Ed told her, touching her neck. After he paid for the dress, he took Winry to the nearby jewelry store. He bought her a string of pearl necklace along with two pearl bracelets and a pair of pearl earrings. They were quite expensive. Yet, Ed didn't seem to mind.


Note from author: Okay, all you feminists! Don't be mad at me about what Ed had said to Winry. Just remember the setting is in the 1910s, when "wife depends on husbands" still applies. Ed could be and should be a husband who respects Winry as a woman who has her own right to make her own choices. But remember, for now, he is the tamer.